Brush munting for suction cleaners



July 10, 1928.

' B. B. JACKSON BRUSH MOUNTING FOR sUcTIoN CLEANERS Filed April 15, 1922New.

J5 Z0 J6? Jug,

Patented July '10, 1928.

BENJAMIN IB. JACKSON, OF DELPHI, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, T THE MARVEL COMPANY, OF HAMMOND, INDIANA, A CORPORATION 0FINDIANA.

BRUSH MOUNTING FOR SUCTION CLEANERS.

Application filed April 15, 1922. Serial No. 552,909.

The present invention is designed to increase the efficiency ofsuctioncleaners.- It is primarily intendedy for incorporation 1ncleaners of the type wherein a rotating fan 5- is employed for creatingthe requisite suction, although adapted for use with cleaners of othertypes. Suction cleaners of the fan type usually embody an electric motorforl actuating the fan; in others, the fan is ac. tuated through themedium of a gear train interposed between the bearing wheels and thefan. As an adjunct generally to Such machines they embody also arotating brush in association with the nozzle for loosening the dust ordirt in the fabric or surface being cleaned` whereby to perimt the fanmore readily to lift the dust or dirt and 4convey it to theusualcollecting receptacle included as a part of the machine equipment.4 Thepracticalv value of these brushes ordinarlly 1s not fully attained. Theloosening of the dust or dirt is dependent upon the proximity of theends of the brush bristles to the fabric or surface on which the machineis operating. -This proximity, in turn, is dependent upon the mountingof tlie'brush in relation to the nozzle, or adjustment of the nozzlerelatively to the fabric or surface. For this purpose means are providedwhereby the nozzle may be elevated or lowered in relation to the fabricor surface, or adjustable supporting means, usually inthe form yof adjustable bearings for the brush, are provided. In the ,positioning of thenozzle with respect to the fabric or surface, or adjustment of thesupporting means for the brush, the hbristles engage the surface of thefabric relatively closely, and the cleaning action of the bristles is atthe maximum` at the time such adjustment is made. However, as thelbristles Wear down their contact with the surface becomes less close,and their cleaning power relatively is reduced. The maximum cleaningeffect, therefore, only can bevrestored by manual adjustment of thenozzle or the brush supporting means to position the axis of thebrushnearer to the surface, andthereby againv bring the endspof thebristles into 'closej engagement with the surface. But lasvwear'continues on thebristlesrepeated manual4 adjustment is. required;`otherwise,` the brush fails to function properly in loosening the dirtand dust, and the cleaning value of themachine materially is reduced.

Furthermore,l machines such as above described and equipped haverelatively little value in picking up lint,'threads, and similar lightparticles. Moreover, these Inachines require driving connections betweenthe fan motor or the bearing wheels and the m brushes for operating thelatter, thus entailing added expense of construction and maintenance,and increasing the number of operative parts susceptible to derangementand necessitating repair.

The primary object of the present invention is to overcome theobjectionable features above outlined and to provide an improved brushfor suction cleaners which is self-adjustable. This permits the brush toaccommodate itself to inequalities or unevenness in the surface on whichthe machine is opl erating, whereby constantly to remain in contact withsuch surface, and to insure the maximum cleaning action of the brush inrespect thereto. l

' A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form ofbrush and mounting therefor by which gearing intermediate of the sameand the drivingfmotor or bearing wheels is entirely eliminated, thebrushserving to drive itself by direct contact. with the surface rather thanthrough the motor or bearing wheels. v

The invention also aims to provide an improved form of brush and itsmounting by which the brush is suspended resilientl in associationWiththe machine nozzle to a apt it readily to yield, and at the sametime to conform to the surface over which itis being moved intheoperation of the machine.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of theimprovements isbetter i understood, the invention consistingsubstantially in the novel construction,- combination and arrangement ofparts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claim. f f v V t Thepresent disclosure is intended` tojdelineate a `practical `embodiment ofthe' invention, but the latterV is 'not Vrestricted tosuch embodimentand is susceptible of incorporation in other forms within the inventiveconcept. Therefore, the form illustrated and described herein is to beconsidered only from an illustrative standpoint.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an inverted plan view of the suction nozzle of a suctioncleaner equipped with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 3 3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, illustratingthe connection of one end of the brush with one of theoperating rollersthereof;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5-5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a. detail perspective view ofk one of the roller bushings.

Referring in detail to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 10designates the suction throat of a suction cleaning machine, preferablyof the non-electric type;

-11 the fan casing thereof, and 12 the elongated nozzle carried by thethroat 10. These parts are ofl usual construction, and furtherdescription thereof need not be made. v

The bottom of the suction nozzle 12 is open in order to form the mouththrough which thedust and dirt are drawn into the throat 10 by theaction of the rotating fan found in machines of this character, andwithin said mouth is arranged a rotating brush 13 provided with spirallydisposed bristles 14. It will be observed that the greatest diameter, ofthe brush 13 is at a point mid-way between its ends, fromv which pointthe brush 14 tapers in diameter to its extremities. The purpose ofthispresently will appear. The core of the brush 13 preferably is formedof wire of suitable gauge, a pair of strands 15 being twisted together,as illustrated in enlarged detail in Fig. 4, the bristles being heldbetween the several twists of the strands 15. At the extremities of thecore the ends of these strands are bent at right angles to the core, andin opposite directions to each other to provide engaging lugs 16, whichlugs are received 'by oppositely disposed slots 17 formed in the innerends of roller bushings 18. One of these bushings is mounted at each endof the brush 13, and each of said bushings is also rotatably mounted onan inwardly projecting stud 19, one of which is formed at each end ofthe nozzle 12. The bushings 18 are surrounded by elastic sleeves 20,formed prefer- \ably,o,f rubberin order to frictionally engage thesurface or fabric over which the machine is operating, and therebyestablish the necessary traction with the surface orv fabric for drivingthe brush 13.

the core to the bushings.

The bushings 18 and the sleeves 20 thereof constitute the sole drivingmeans for rotating the brush 13. It will be noted in this connectionthat the diameter of these driving rollers is less than the greatestdiameter of the brush 13, and while the diameter of the brush gradually,tapers from its mid-portion to its extremities, the tapering portions ofthe brush likewise are of greater diameter than the driving rollers.This results in increased peripheral speed in the brush over theperipheral speed of the rollers. It will be understood that when `themachine is positioned on the surface to be cleaned the weight of thenozzle forces the driving rollers, made up of the bushings 18 andsleeves 20, into frictional engagement with, such surface. By reason ofthe tapering form of the brush, and the forcing of the bristles at thelower side of the brush intov engagement with the surface under weightof the nozzle, the core of the brush is sprung or bowed, as illustratedin Fig. 2, and this brings the extremities of the bristles at such lowerside of the brush and throughout the length of the latter intohorizontal alignment with the surface` As the nozzle moves over thesurface the driving rollers are rotated, but due to the varyingdiameters of the driving rollers on the one hand, and thedecreasingdiamet-er of the brush from its mid-portion to its ends on theother, the rollers and brush rotating at the same number of revolutions,the turning eEort of the driving rollers being greater than that of thebrush, a slippage in the rotation of the brush takes place. In thisslippage the bristles kick out individually, and in this movement theyloosen the dust and dirt, ex-

erting a sweeping action on the surface being cleaned. Furthermore, thebrush is connected directly with its driving elements so that the use ofa train of gears between the driving elements and the brush is entirelyeliminated.

By reason of the resiliency of the brush core the brush is mountedyieldingl within the nozzle 12 so-that the brush adsiusts itselfautomatically to inequalities and unevenness in the surface beingcleaned. Due

to this resiliency of the brush core, there results a-maintenancelofclose engagement of the bristles 'with the surface, increasingthecleaning power of the brush, so lthat lint,

threads and similar light particles are picked up by the brush in apsltive manner to be conveyed by the suctionof the fan into and throughthe throat 10.

The self-adjustment of the brush enables the latter always to be inproper close contact with the floor or surface on which the machine ismounted regardless of the height of the nozzle above said floor orsurface, the resilient core of the brush forcing the bristles againstthe floor or surface under weight of the nozzle whether the nozzle beclose to or relatively elevated above the floor or surface. A furtherresult of the bowing of the brush under the yielding action of theresilient core thereof is to throw the center of the brush intoeccentric relation with the driving rollers at the ends of the brush.

Vith a suction cleaner equipped with a brush constructed in accordancewith the present invention, and rcsiliently mounted in the nozzlethereof as contemplated by the present invention, there is provided aselfadjusting element for loosening the dirt and dust as the machine ismoved over the surface to be cleaned, and this element is driven by itsown contact with the surface or floor through the rollers associatedwith the brush and constituting the driving elements there-- of. Thiseliminates the interposition of driving gears between the bruz'h and thesuction fan or ,the bearing wheels of the machine, so that the workingparts of the machine are thereby reduced in number, and impairment ofsuch parts with necessary repair thereof is overcome. The closeproximity of the brush bristles with the surface or fioor, and themaintenance of this contact by reason of the resilient character of thecore, enables the brush to pick up lint, y threads and similar lightparticles notwithbeing merely one'practical embodiment for the formationof the core, and 1ts convenient e standing the nozzle 12 may berelatively elevated thereabove.

In positioning the brush within the nozzle the core thereof is sprungsufficiently to permit the ends thereof to be inserted within the innerends of the bushings 18, with the oppositely slots 17 of the bushings.The brush likewise, may be removed by springing the same sufficiently towithdraw the ends thereof from the bushings, so that introduction of thebrush to and removal of the same from the nozzle 12 `is effected in asimple manner and without the use of any special tools.

lVhile the core of the brush has been illustrated and described asformed of twisted wire, it will be understood, of course, that this maybe radically changed, this form adaptation to the purposes of theinvention.

I claim: In a suction cleaner, the combination with the nozzle thereof,of a rotatable brush extending over the length of said nozzle,.

said brush having a flexible axle supported in the nozzle only at itsends, whereby said brush 4is yieldingly supported in the nozzle forlateral movement between its ends to be pressed and maintained by theweight of the nozzle in operative engagement with the surface to becleaned, greatest diameter at its mid-portion and tapering from saidmid-portion to its ends, and means for drivingsaid brush.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto l subscribed my name.

BENJAMIN B. JACKSON.

disposed lugs 16 fitted in the l said brush having its

